Re: Steelers New Tactic to get proper roughing penalties called.

Defenders Ryan Clark and James Farrior complained that Roethlisberger is not receiving the same protection from officials that other QBs around the league get. It's a complaint similar to what Eagles coach Andy Reid has voiced about treatment of his QB, Michael Vick.

"I already told y'all, they protect everybody's quarterback in the NFL but ours. I don't know how many times I've got to say it," Clark told the Pittbsurgh Tribune-Review. "And they protect the ones we play a lot. I guess they're just scared to step out and say, 'Dang, maybe they are being targeted.' We say it, and we believe it."

The Steelers have complained in recent weeks that they think NFL officials are targeting them, a charge NFL VP of football operations Ray Anderson has denied.

Roethlisberger played Sunday's 23-7 against the Bengals with a sprained foot and a broken nose that occurred the previous week when he was hit by Baltimore's Haloti Ngata. The Ravens defender drew a $15,000 fine for the illegal hit.

But Farrior was left smarting after seeing Roethlisberger battered without attention from officials.

"The hits that Ben takes every week, it's kind of ridiculous that they always miss those calls," Farrior said. "But any time we breathe on a quarterback, they always seem to find that (call)."

Roethlisberger said he approached referee Walt Coleman about the hits on him during the game.

"I got the same response that I got last week, that he was just trying to tackle you," Roethlisberger said. "So I just let it go."